DAVIS, Calif. — Adding yet another piece to the puzzle, UC Davis head women's soccer coach Twila Kaufman announced that Salinas High School's Alexa Aguirre has signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her academic and athletic career with the Aggies.

Aguirre, a 5-foot-11 defender, becomes the seventh member — and sixth high school standout — of Kaufman's incoming class for 2019, adding depth to the Aggies' back line.

"Her recruiting story is serendipitous," Kaufman said. "Alexa's coach called me to come take a look at his new player just as I was on a layover at an airport near them. My previous engagement was canceled so I just didn't get back on the plane. I rented a car and was able to get there. I knew within five minutes that she was going to be a great fit for us.

"She is strong in the air, has good spatial awareness, and is both-footed. We are very lucky to have her!"

A three-year letter varsity letter winner at Salinas HS her freshman through junior seasons, she helped lead the Cowboys to a pair of Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division crowns during her first two prep seasons and compiled a combined 30-2-4 conference mark in her three years. A two-time league defensive player of the year, Aguirre was a three-time all-league selection — including CIF Central Coast Section third-team laurels and all-league first team honors as a junior.

Helping her team become the first Salinas HS sport to earn a spot in the section open division playoffs as a sophomore, she finished with 14 goals and eight assists during her three seasons at Salinas HS before concentrating her efforts with her California Thorns FC Development Academy squad this year, scoring three times in 10 matches.

"I couldn't be more excited to attend UC Davis," Aguirre said. "I absolutely fell in love with the college town atmosphere and instantly knew this was where I wanted to pursue my higher education and continue to develop my passion for soccer.

"The coaching staff is truly invested in the success of their athletes on and off the field. I love how they are straight forward with their players because it shows just how much they care about our development as players and individuals. They have developed a program with a great group of girls that has adopted a positive culture and a core set of values that I believe will lead to great successes for this team and I am thrilled to be a part of it."

Off the field, Aguirre also competed one season with the school's track and field team, setting the school record in the shot put with a throw of 38 feet, eight inches, to place fourth at the section championships, and ended up eighth in the discus with a throw of 110 feet, 10 inches.

Aguirre, who intends to major in neurobiology, physiology, and behavior, at UC Davis, is ranked No. 4 in her class academically with a 4.52 GPA and has earned the school's "Top 25" Award for ranking among the top in her class. A member of the California Scholarship Federation and the National Honors Society, she was a member of the Rotary Interact Club and Best Buddies International, which is a global organization that bridges the gap between general and special education students.

2018-19 UC DAVIS WOMEN'S SOCCER SIGNEES
Name (Height, Position, Hometown / Previous School, Club Team)
Alexa Aguirre (5-11, D, Salinas, Calif. / Salinas HS '19, California Thorns FC)
Yasmeen Dmeiri (5-4, D/M, Davis, Calif. / Davis HS '19, Davis Legacy)*
Clarissa Grajeda (5-8, GK, Camarillo, Calif. / Rancho Campana HS '19, LA Premier FC Academy)*
Brianna Guerra (5-4, M/D, Anaheim, Calif. / Villa Park HS '19, LAFC Slammers)*
Mirai Hayakawa (5-5, D, Irvine, Calif. / Irvine HS '19, LAFC Slammers)*
Reese Mercado (5-8, D, Walnut Creek, Calif. / Las Lomas HS '19, Lamorinda SC)*
Ariana Quintero (5-4, M, Fresno, Calif. / Edison HS '18 / Clovis Community College, Revolution SC)*

* denotes previously announced signee

ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.